Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The Far East, Volume V

811.20 (D) Regulations/1336: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Singapore (Patton)

Washington, February 20, 1941—7 p.m.

3. Your February 11, 5 p.m.¹⁴ Licenses are required under the Act of July 2, 1940¹⁵ for the export of a wide variety of articles and materials. Applications for licenses are granted or rejected in accordance with the needs of the national defense. In view of these needs licenses for the export of many materials are issued very sparingly.

A number of commodities are not permitted to be exported to any Far Eastern destinations other than those in the British Empire, the Netherlands Indies, the Philippines, and unoccupied China. Aviation gasoline and lubricating oil, iron and steel scrap, and many other products are not licensed for export to Thailand. Licenses are issued for the export to Thailand of iron and steel products other than scrap in usual pre-war quantities only.

You may lay these facts before the Controller of Exports and suggest that he not permit the reexport to Thailand of commodities of United States origin consigned to British territory. Should he permit such reexports the Department might not be able to grant with such freedom as it now does applications for licenses to export to British Malaya.

Hull

14. Not printed.
15. An act to expedite the strengthening of the national defense, approved July 2, 1940; 54 Stat. 712.